Alabama Department of Youth Services

A dozen advocacy groups across Alabama have joined together to form a coalition to address statewide issues that affect the future of young Alabama residents. The coalition will focus on issues ranging from school policies that alliance members believe push students out of the classroom into the juvenile justice system to the services offered to youth reentering the community from the custody of the Department of Youth Services.

The new coalition includes the Southern Poverty Law Center. It was announced at a news conference Tuesday.